Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (/ˈkoʊmoʊ/; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987.[1]
Perry Como
May 12, 2001 (aged 88)
- Singer
- actor
- television personality
1932–1997
3
Vocals
"Mr. C.", as he was nicknamed, reportedly sold over 100 million records worldwide[2][3][4] and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show. His weekly television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. He recorded primarily vocal pop and was renowned for recordings in the intimate, easy-listening genre pioneered by multimedia star Bing Crosby.[5] In the official RCA Records Billboard magazine memorial, his life was summed up in these few words: "50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all."[6]
Como received five Emmys from 1955 to 1959,[7] and a Christopher Award in 1956. He also shared a Peabody Award with good friend Jackie Gleason in 1956.[8][9] He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987 and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1990.[10][11][12] Posthumously, Como received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 and was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.[13] He has the distinction of having three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio, television, and music.[14]
Early years[edit]
Como was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Pittsburgh.[15] He was the seventh of 13 children[16] and the first American-born child of Pietro Como (1877–1945) and Lucia Travaglini (1883–1961),[17][18][19] who both emigrated to the US in 1910 from the Abruzzese town of Palena, Italy.[20][21][22] He did not begin speaking English until he entered school, since the Comos spoke Italian at home.[23] The family had a second-hand organ his father had bought for $3; as soon as Como was able to toddle, he would head to the instrument, pump the bellows, and play music he had heard. [24]
Pietro, a mill hand and an amateur baritone, had all his children take music lessons even if he could barely afford them.[25] In a rare 1957 interview, Como's mother, Lucia, described how her young son also took on other jobs to pay for more music lessons; Como learned to play many different instruments, but never had a voice lesson.[22] He showed more musical talent in his teenaged years as a trombone player in the town's brass band, playing guitar, singing at weddings, and as an organist at church.[26][27] Como was a member of the Canonsburg Italian Band along with bandleader Stan Vinton, father of singer Bobby Vinton and often a customer at Como's barber shop.[28][29][30]
Como started helping his family at age 10, working before and after school in Steve Fragapane's barber shop for 50¢ a week. By age 13, he had graduated to having his own chair in the Fragapane barber shop, although he stood on a box to tend to his customers.[24][31][32] Also around this time, Como lost his week's wages in a dice game. Filled with shame, he locked himself in his room and did not come out until hunger got the better of him. He managed to tell his father what had happened to the money his family depended on. His father told him he was entitled to make a mistake and that he hoped his son would never do anything worse than this.[24]
When Como was 14, his father became unable to work because of a severe heart condition. Como and his brothers became the support of the household.[25]
Despite his musical ability, Como's primary ambition was to become the best barber in Canonsburg. Practicing on his father, he mastered the skills well enough to have his own shop at age 14.[33][34] One of Como's regular customers at the barber shop owned a Greek coffeehouse that included a barber shop area, and asked Como whether he would like to take over that portion of his shop. Como had so much work after moving to the coffeehouse, he had to hire two barbers to help. His customers worked mainly at the nearby steel mills. They were well-paid, did not mind spending money on themselves, and enjoyed Como's song renditions. He did especially well when one of his customers would marry. The groom and his men would avail themselves of every treatment Como and his assistants had to offer. Como sang romantic songs while busying himself with the groom as the other two barbers worked with the rest of the groom's party. During the wedding preparation, the groom's friends and relatives would come into the shop with gifts of money for Como. He became so popular as a "wedding barber" in the Greek community that he was asked to provide his services in Pittsburgh and throughout Ohio.[31]
Singing career[edit]
Freddy Carlone and Ted Weems[edit]
In 1932, Como left Canonsburg, moving about 100 miles away to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where his uncle had a barber shop in the Hotel Conneaut. About 80 miles from Cleveland, it was a popular stop on the itinerary for dance bands who worked up and down the Ohio Valley. Como, his girlfriend Roselle, and their friends had gone to nearby Cleveland; their good times took them to the Silver Slipper Ballroom, where Freddy Carlone and his orchestra were playing. Carlone invited anyone who thought he might have talent to come up and sing with his band. Como was terrified, but his friends urged him and pushed him onto the stage. Carlone was so impressed with Como's performance that he immediately offered him a job.[35]
Como was not certain if he should accept Carlone's offer, so he returned to Canonsburg to talk the matter over with his father. Como expected his father would tell him to stay in the barber business, but to his surprise, his father said if he did not take the opportunity, he might never know whether or not he could be a professional singer.[35] The decision was also made with an eye on finances; at this time, Como was earning around $125 per week from his barber shop, while the job with Carlone paid $28 per week.[36] Roselle was willing to travel with her fiancé and the band, but the salary was not enough to support two people on the road.[37] Perry and Roselle were married in Meadville on July 31, 1933; four days later, Como joined Carlone's band and began working with them.[38][39] Roselle returned home to Canonsburg; Como would be on the road for the next 18 months.[40]
Death[edit]
Como died in his sleep on May 12, 2001, at his home in Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida, six days before his 89th birthday.[221] He was reported to have suffered from symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Como's older son, Ronnie, and his daughter, Terri, could not agree on their interpretations of Como's 1999 living will and it became a matter for the courts in the year before his death.[222] His funeral Mass took place at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Palm Beach, Florida.[223] Como and his wife, Roselle, are buried at Riverside Memorial Park, Tequesta, Palm Beach County, Florida.[224]
Honors and tributes[edit]
Awards[edit]
Como received the 1959 Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male; five Emmys from 1955 to 1959;[225] a Christopher Award (1956) and shared a Peabody Award with good friend Jackie Gleason in 1956.[8] He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1990[226][227][228] and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987.[12] Posthumously, Como received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002;[229] he was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.[230][231] Como has the distinction of having three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio, television, and music.[232]
Tributes[edit]
In the official RCA Records Billboard memorial, his life was summed up in these words: "50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all."[233] Composer Ervin Drake said of him, "... [o]ccasionally someone like Perry comes along and won't 'go with the flow' and still prevails in spite of all the bankrupt others who surround him and importune him to yield to their values. Only occasionally."[234]
Hometown honors[edit]
Canonsburg has always been very proud to be the birthplace of Perry Como; the local newspaper of the time, Canonsburg Daily Notes, seems to have been the first to write an article about him. Their edition of July 19, 1934, featured a photo and the following: "A young Canonsburg boy threatens to snatch the crown from Bing Crosby's head. Perry Como, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pietro Como of 530 Franklin Ave. is said to have one of the grandest baritone voices in the country."[235][236] The borough honored him three times over the course of his life.[237] The first of these events took place September 14, 1946, when Third Street, where Perry worked in the barber shop of Steve Fragapane, was renamed "Perry Como Avenue". Perry, Roselle, and Como's mother, Lucy, attended the ceremonies and banquet held at the State Armory.[184][235][238]
A second ceremony marking Perry Como Day took place August 24, 1977, but the most ambitious project began in 1997 – a statue of the singer.[15][27][239] The planned statue had the blessing of Como's wife, Roselle, who died the year before it was unveiled on May 15, 1999.[51] As part of the festivities, Como's stool and music stand from The Perry Como Show and the equipment he used at Steve Fragapane's barber shop were donated to the borough.[236] Como was not present at the unveiling because of poor health. The inscription on the base, "To This Place God Has Brought Me", was a favorite saying of Como's; the musical feature was added in 2002.[15][240]
The Como celebration crossed the Atlantic in August 2002. Palena, Italy, the birthplace of Como's parents, had a long-standing week-long festival in honor of the singer.[241] A smaller version of the statue was taken to Palena by the mayor of Canonsburg, Anthony Colaizzo.[242] Perry's son, David, and his wife were also in attendance when the town of Palena renamed a street for Como.[240] Dating from these ceremonies, there is a marble plaque on a Palena town wall stating that Pietro and Lucia Como, parents of Perry Como, emigrated from this village to the United States.[243]
Perry Como never forgot Canonsburg.[244][245] One of the things he did to give a helping hand to his home town was to convince RCA to open a record-pressing plant there.[246][247] Those who needed to raise funds for local projects like Boys' and Girls' Clubs found him always ready to do whatever was needed.[15][214][248]
In 2007, the local McDonald's was rebuilt. The building includes memorabilia of Como and another Canonsburg native, Bobby Vinton.[249] A children's playground in Canonsburg on Giffin Avenue is also named for Como.[250] In downtown Canonsburg, all of the tree grates are marked with information about the records that sold a million copies and the town clock hourly plays one of the hits of Como (141), Vinton (44), or the Four Coins (7), also from Canonsburg.[251][252][253]